Reciprocating engine

ABSTRACT

With reciprocating engines the alternate movements of their pistons is converted into rotational motion of a shaft by crank drives which means considerable strains in supporting structures as well as a loss of a considerable part of useful energy. Such deficiencies are obviated by converting the reciprocating movements of the pistons into reciprocating angular displacements of a shaft and by rectifying such displacements so as to obtain unidirectional rotation. The conversion of reciprocating movements into angular displacements is effected by gear drives or flexible bands whereas rectifying is obtained by any suitable means such as camand-roller type free-wheels.

United States Patent [191 Toth I 1 RECIPROCATING ENGINE [76] Inventor: .lozsef Toth, 76, Oprendek Sandor utca, Miskolc 111, Hungary [22] Filed: July 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 273,665

[52] US. Cl 1123/54 B, 123/56 AB, 123/56 BB, 123/197 R [51] Int. Cl. F02b 75/28, F02b 75/32 [58] Field of Search... 123/197 R, 197 AB, 197 AC, 123/197 C, 54 B, 56 AB, 56 BB [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 477,391 6/1892 Weaver et al 74/136 939,669 11/1909 Cole 123/197 AC 1,304,129 5/1919 Walk 123/197 C 1,347,055 7/1920 Peterson 123/197 C 1,660,487 2/1928 Gauthier 123/197 R X 1,699,803 l/l929 Myers 123/54 B X 2,094,830 10/1937 Town 123/56 BB 2,779,201 l/1957 Hurley 123/197 C 3,267,917 8/1966 Bargero 123/56 BB FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,084,271 6/1960 Germany 123/197 C Mar. 4, 1975 Primary ExaminerCharles J. Myhre Assistant ExaminerW, Rutledge, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Young & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT With reciprocating engines the alternate movements of their pistons is converted into rotational motion of a shaft by crank drives which means considerable strains in supporting structures as well as a loss of a considerable part of useful energy.

Such deficiencies are obviated by converting the reciprocating movements of the pistons into reciprocating angular displacements of a shaft and by rectifying such displacements so as to obtain unidirectional rotation.

The conversion of reciprocating movements into angular displacements is effected by gear drives or flexible bands whereas rectifying is obtained by any suitable means such as cam-and-roller type free-wheels.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures REQIPROCATING ENGINE This invention relates to reciprocating engines.

More particularly, the invention is concerned with reciprocating engines of the type having at least one pair of work pistons arranged for reciprocating motion in work cylinders which, in turn, are arranged in a rigid structure supporting a drive shaft with an axial center line. The work pistons confine work chambers with the work cylinders, means being provided for alternately admitting and withdrawing a work medium in and from said work chambers, respectively, dependent on mutual positions of associated work pistons and work cylinders. The work pistons and the drive shaft are connected by power transmission means which ensure mutually opposite reciprocating movements of the work pistons and for rotating the drive shaft unidirectionally in response to such reciprocating movements.

With the known reciprocating engines of the aforesaid type where the drive shaft is connected with the work pistons by means of a crank gear drive, the dead center positions of the pistons are positively fixed by the angular position of the crank arm of such drives. In case of internal combustion engines such fixed positions represent a limit as to the heighth of the final compression pressure. Thereby, a limit is set to increasing the performance and efficiency of internal combustion engines. Broadly the same applies to internal combustion engines working with planetary pistons where final compression pressure is limited by sealing possibilities.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a reciprocating engine the pistons of which perform free reciprocating movements without fixed dead center positions thereof whereby the final compression pressure may be increased to a multiple of the hitherto obtainable highest values.

The basic idea of the invention consists in the replacement of the crank gear drive by a power transmission means by which the reciprocating movements of the pistons are converted into rotational motion in a pair of steps. First, the longitudinal reciprocating movements are converted into angular reciprocating movements and, thereafter, such angular reciprocating movements are rectified so as to obtain a unidirectional rotation of the drive shaft proper. The first step of conversion which is a transformation of longitudinal reciprocating movements into angular reciprocating movements may be obtained by otherwise well known means and distinguished by an excellent mechanical efficiency of 99 The second step of conversion which is the transformation of the angular reciprocating movements into unidirectional rotation is likewise obtaineable by otherwise well known means though of a somewhat lesser efficiency of 90 to 95 However, the decrease in the performance of the engine due to such lower mechanical efficiency does not represent undesirable losses since it is actually regained in form of compression work. Thus, the reciprocating engine according to the invention is distinguished by a mechanical eff1- ciency which is higher than 99 In case of internal combustion engines according to the invention also the combustion occurring in the cylinders of the engine is rendered more perfect which is due to the unfixed dead center positions of the pistons.

The reciprocating rectilinear movements of the pistons may be converted into angular displacements of the drive shaft by power transmission means of resilient bands, in the form of a rack-and-pinion gear or, preferably, of resilient bands which are connected to the pistons and are circumjacent the cylindrical surface of a drum arranged on the drive shaft. Obviously, such arrangement requires that the work cylinders of the engine be arranged along lines distanced from and substantially at right angle to the axial center line of the drive shaft which is one distinguishing feature of the invention.

The reciprocating angular movements of the gear and the drum, respectively, will be rectified by per se means inserted between the aforesaid gear or drum and the drive shaft proper in such a manner that the reciprocating movements of the work pistons entail unidirectional rotation of the drive shaft which is another distinguishing feature of the invention.

Thus, in broadest terms, the invention is concerned with a reciprocating engine comprising, in combination, a rigid structure, a drive shaft with an axial center line supported by said rigid structure, a pair of work cylinders in said rigid structure, work pistons arranged for reciprocating motion in said work cylinders and confining work chambers therewith, means for alternately admitting and withdrawing a work medium in and from said work chambers, respectively, dependent on mutual positions of associated work pistons and work cylinders, and power transmission means between said work pistons and said drive shaft for ensuring reciprocating movements of said work pistons and for rotating said drive shaft in response to such reciprocating movements. In compliance with the main feature of the invention, the pair of work cylinders in the rigid structure are arranged along lines distanced from and substantially at right angle to said axial center line, and rectifier means are provided in said power transmission means for permitting unidirectional rotation of said shaft at reciprocating movements of said work pistons.

The invention will now described in closer details by taking reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of example, various embodiments of the reciprocating engine according to the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first exemplified embodiment taken along line II of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line II II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of another exemplified embodiment taken along line III-III of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a still further exemplified embodiment.

FIG. 6 shows schematically the principle of an exemplified embodiment of a detail.

FIG. 7 represents a longitudinal sectional view of still another exemplified embodiment of the reciprocating engine according to the invention.

Same reference characters designate similar details throughout the drawings.

In the drawing, FIGS. 1 and 2 represent a two-cycle internal combustion engine. Reference characters 20, 22, 24 and 26 designated work cylinders which are pairwise connected to one another as suggested in FIG. 2 by connection screws 28 and 30 so as to form a rigid structure. This rigid structure supports a drive shaft 32 3 with an axial center line referred to by reference character 34. The axial center lines 36 and 38 of work cylinders 20, 22 and 24, 26 respectively, are distanced from and substantially at right angle to the axial center line 34 of the drive shaft 32.

The work cylinders 20, 22, 24, 26 have work pistons 40, 42, 44, 46, respectively, arranged for reciprocating motion therein and confining work chambers 48, 50 and 52, 54, respectively, therewith. Said work pistons 40, 42, 44, 46 are connected with said drive shaft 32 by first power transmission means which consists, in the instant case, of a rack-and-pinion gear. More particularly, the drive shaft 32 has an outer ring 56 in the form of a pinion rotatably arranged on it which engages-a rack 58a of a work piston rod 58 which connects one pair of work pistons 40 and 42 by means of resilient sleeves 60 and 62, respectively. Similar rack-andpinion gear is provided for power transmission means between the pistons 44 and 46 and their associated outer ring 56 as is obvious from FIG. 2.

Fuel injection is performed by means of fuel injection pumps two of which are referred to by reference characters 64 and 66 in FIGS. I and 2. The fuel injection pumps such as pumps 64 and 66 are in operational connection with actuating means working dependent on the reciprocal motion of the pistons 40 to 46 in their associated cylinders to 26. As shown in FIG. 1, the actuating means of fuel injection pumps 64 and 66 consists in a pair of double armed levers 68 and 70 one arm 68a and 70a of which contacts the fuel injection pumps 64 and 66, respectively, while their other arms 68b and 70b are equipped with rollers 72 and 74, respectively, which are arranged for running on a cam surface 58b of work piston 58.

Combustion air is, with the represented embodiment, supplied by superchargers such as supercharger 76 in FIG. I. Supercharger 76 has a pair of oppositely arranged charger cylinders 76 and 80 arranged along a line 82 parallel to the axial center line 36 of the work cylinders 20 and 22. In the charger cylinders 78 and 80 there is a pair of charger pistons 84 and 86, respectivelyi arranged for reciprocating movements therein and confining charger chambers 88 and 90, respectively, therewith. The charger pistons 84 and 86 are yieldably connected to one another by a charger piston rod 92. The yieldable connection of charger piston rod 92 with charger pistons 84 and 86 is obtained by a pair of diaphragms 94 and 96, respectively. The charger piston rod 92 engages with the power transmission means, more particularly with the toothed outer ring 56 opposite to the work piston rod 58 so that both the work piston rod 58 and the charger piston rod 92 will perform mutually opposite rectilinear movements. Reference characters 98 and 100 refer to pipe ends automatically controlled by valves 102 and 104, respectively.

Similar supercharger means are provided for supplying air into cylinders 24 and 26 or work chambers 52 and 54, respectively.

The rectifier means by which reciprocating angular movements of outer ring 56 are converted into continuous rotation of drive shaft 32 consists, in the instant case, of a cam-and-roller type free-wheel. The freewheel outer ring 56 is formed as a pinion which has a cammed inner surface 56a known per se. The inner core of the cam-and-roller type free-wheel is formed by the outer cylindrical surface 320 of the drive shaft 32. Between cammed surface 56a and outer surface 32a with respect to drive shaft 32 by means of being wedged by opposite surfaces or release the drive shaft 32 by occupying a suitably spacious portion of the wedge shaped interstice between both surfaces.

A similar rectifier means is provided in the power transmission means between the piston 44 and 46 and the drive shaft 32.

In order to ensure opposite reciprocating movements of the pairs of work pistons 40, 42, and 44, 46 or, what is the same, the work piston rods 58 and the work piston rod 108 connecting the work pistons 44 and 46 second power transmission means are provided therebev tween. In the instant case, such second power transmission means consists likewise of a rack-and-pinion gear the racks of which form parts of the work piston rods 92 and 108 and are referred to by reference characters 58c and 108e, respectively, which engage opposite sides of a toothed drum 110 the axle 112 of which is at right angle with respect to the drive shaft 32.

Reference characters 114 and 116 designated pipe ends through which combustion gases may withdraw from cylinders 20 and 22, respectively. Reference characters 118 and 120, on the other hand, designate connection conduits between supercharger 76 and cylinders 20 and 22, respectively.

In operation, each work cylinder performs a twostroke internal combustion cycle which means that the fuel injected e.g. into work chamber 48 through fuel injection pump 64 is mixed with air supplied during a previous stroke and becomes ignited and is combusted while the work piston 40 is displaced to the right as regards FIG. 1.

By the displacement of work piston 40 to the right as regards FIG. I, the resilient sleeve 60 becomes compressed and then causes piston rod 58 to move likewise to the right. Such rectilinear displacement to the right means a rotation of the pinion 56 in the clockwise sense. Such rotation, in turn, entails a wedging of the balls I06 between cammed surface 56a and outer surface 32a so that also drive shaft 32 will rotate in the clockwise sense as regards FIG. 1.

Clockwise rotation of pinion 56 causes a rectilinear displacement of charger piston rod 92 to the left as regards FIG. I. so that charger piston 84 will likewise be displaced in the lefthand direction. Such displacement means a compression of air in the charger chamber 88. By the increasing pressure of the air valve 102 becomes closed and compressed air will fill up the connection conduit 118 under increasing pressure.

Moreover, with righthand displacement of work piston 40, first the pipe end 114 is uncovered so that combustion gases in the work chamber 48 of cylinder 20 are permitted to escape from work chamber 48. In a subsequent position of work piston 40 further to the right, also the connection conduit 118 will be uncov' ered so that compressed combustion air is supplied into the work chamber 48 in the known manner which means that, in addition to filling the work chamber 48 with fresh combustion air, also the remaining combustion gases will be dispelled thereby through the ever more open pipe end 114.

During such cycle, opposite performances are taking place in work chamber 50 and charger chamber 90.

The compression air in work chamber 50 having been supplied in the course ofa previous stroke is compressed by the work piston 42 which moves to the right and subsequently closes the pipe end 116 and the connection conduit 120. Therewhile, the charger piston 86 moves to the left and causes a depression in the charger chamber 90 and the connection conduit 120. Such depression causes the valve 104 to be opened against its return spring 104a so that charger chamber 90 is refilled with fresh combustion air. At the extreme right hand position of work piston rod 58 the double armed lever 70 engages with its arm 70b the cam surface 58a of work piston 58 and injects fuel into the compressed air in work chamber 50 in a manner well known in the art. Then, the work piston rod 58 will be displaced in an opposite direction, that is, to the left as regards FIG. 1 which means that, now, the pinion 56 is rotated in the counter clockwise direction and the charger piston rod 92 is displaced to the right. Consequently, compression is taking place in work chamber 48, fresh air is sucked in into charger chamber 88 and fresh combustion air is supplied from charger chamber 90 via connection conduit 120 into work chamber 50 of cylinder 22.

Moreover, rotation in the counter clockwise direction of pinion 56 means that the balls 106 occupy the most spacious portion of the interstice between surfaces 32a and 52a so that clockwise rotation of drive shaft 32 is not impeded by the now lefthand displacement of work piston rod 58.

Such lefthand displacement of work piston rod 58 means a clockwise rotation of drum 110 (FIG. 2) and, thereby, a rectilinear displacement of work piston rod 108 towards the right as regards FIG. 2. However, a righthand displacement of work piston rod 108 means what has meant such displacement of work rod 58 (FIG. 1) that is a clockwise rotation of the pinion (not shown) with which work piston rod 108 is engaged in the manner of the engagement of work piston rod 58 and pinion 56 so that the power stroke of work piston rod 108 is transmitted via toothed drum 110, axle 112, piston rod 108 and a corresponding pinion and rectifier means on drive shaft 32 to the latter in the form of a clockwise rotation.

The same applies to the reciprocal movements of the work pistons 44 and 46 in the cylinders 24 and 26, respectively, which means that a driving force is acting on drive shaft 32 during each cycle, so that the drive shaft 32 is set into a continuous clockwise rotation as regards FIG. 1.

It is obviously possible to double the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in which case the charger cylinders may pairwise supply compressed air each time into one of the work cylinders.

Moreover, if half the number of the cylinders is dispensed with and the remaining cylinders are arranged as shown in FIG. 1, the two-stroke internal combustion engine thus formed will rotate the drive shaft 32 in the same manner. However, only every other stroke will be transmitted to the drive shaft 32 in the form of a useful torque.

With the hitherto described exemplified embodiment, the reciprocating movements of the pistons have been converted into reciprocating angular movements by means of rack-and-pinion gears. Such means are handicapped by the presence of forces appearing at points of engagement which try to disengage the interengaging parts. Moreover, they generate forces which have action lines at right angle to the direction of rectilinear motion. Thus, forces are present which do not deliver work instead of which they cause undesirable deformations, wears and vibrations.

Such forces may be counterbalanced by the employment of, e.g., support rollers such as rollers 126 and 128 which, however obviously do not exploit transverse forces for useful work.

The aforesaid deficiency may be eliminated by replacing the rack-and-pinion gear by juxtaposed prestressed flexible bands which may be made of any suitable material such as steel and which connect the pistons with the outer ring of the cam-and-roller type freewheel in such a manner that one extremity of each band is connected to a piston while the other extremity of the band is fixed to the periphery of the outer ring, the band portion between the fixed extremities lying against the piston rod and circumjacent the cylindrical surface so that only tangential forces will be generated. Obviously, the term band is employed in the specification and claims in the sense of both single bands and packs thereof.

An exemplified embodiment of the reciprocating engine provided with such power transmission means is represented in FIGS. 3 and 4 which show a four-cycle four-cylinder internal combustion engine. Apart from the differences due to the difference between two-cycle and four-cycle engines which means the employment of valves and actuating means therefor, the instant exemplified embodiment differs from the previous one in that displacements of the piston rods 58 and 108 are transmitted to the drive shaft 32 by means of bands 130 and 132 one extremity of each of which is fixed to the piston rods 58 and 108. In particular, the resilient band 130 is fixed by one of its extremities to work piston rod 58 in the proximity of work piston 40. The other extremity of the band 130 is fixed, by means of a shoe 134 and a screw 136, to the outer ring 56 of the cam-androller type free wheel. Similar clamping means 138 and 140 are employed to fix one extremity of the other band 132 to the outer ring 56 and the other extremity thereof to work piston rod 58 in the proximity of work piston 42. Fixing means of the bands 130 and 132 to the piston rod 58 are indicated by reference characters 142 and 144, respectively. Between their fixed extremities the bands 130 and 132 he against a plane area of work piston rod 58, a further portion thereof being circumjacent the cylindrical surface of the outer ring 56.

Similar solution has been employed for the second power transmission means between both work piston rods 58 and 108 (FIG. 4), Viz., a band 146 connects the extremity of work piston rod 58 in the proximity of work piston 40 with an extremity of work piston rod 108 in the proximity of work piston 44. On ther other hand, a band 148 connects similar portions of work piston rods 58 and 108 in the proximity of work pistons 42 and 46, respectively. Thus, extremities of piston rods 58 and 108 pointing in the same direction are pairwise connected with one another by the bands 146 and 148 which, between their fixed extremities, are circum jacent the cylindrical surface of drum 110.

Reference characters 150 and 152 designate inlet and outlet valves of cylinder 20 while reference characters 154, 156 and 158 refer to a linkage the member 158 of which is carrying the roller 72 destined for running on the cam surface 58a. The linkage 154, 156 and 158 and the roller 72 form the actuating means of the valves 150 and 152. Similar valve and linkage means are provided for the cylinder 22 at the other end of the engine as well as for both cylinders 24 and 26 of the twin engine.

In operation, when combustion is taking place in work chamber 48 of work cylinder 20, work piston 40 is being displaced to the right as regards FIG. 3. Both valves 150 and 152 are closed. At the same time, piston 42 is likewise pushed in rightward direction. However, the outlet valve of work cylinder 22 is open so that the combustion gases are permitted to escape from work chamber 50. I

Therewhile, work piston rod 108 of the twin engine is displaced to the left as regards FIG. 4. Fresh combustion air is supplied into work chamber 54 through the inlet valve of work cylinder 26. Simultaneously therewith, such combustion air in work chamber 52 is compressed by piston 44 which is going leftward at closed valves of cylinder 24.

Upon the dead center positions of the various pistons 40 to 46 being reached, combustion will take place in work chamber 52, compression will occur in work chamber 54, fresh combustion air will be supplied into work chamber 50 and combustion gases will be discharged from work chamber 48, the various inlet and outlet valves of the various cylinders 20 and 24 being controlled in accordance with such occurrences in a manner known per se.

The mutually opposite reciprocal movements of work piston rods 58 and 108 which are arranged pairwise along substantially parallel lines 36 and 38, respectively, equidistant from and substantially at right angle to the axial center line 34 of drive shaft 32 is ensured by the bands 130, 132 and 146, 148. In particular, when work piston 40 performs its righthand displacement in FIG. 4, band 130 would be slackened if it were not for band 132 which, in turn, is tightened. The same applies to bands 146 and 148 of the second power transmission means: while band 146 would be slackened, band 148 is tightened by the lefthand displacement of piston rod 108 so that also band 146 is tightenedThus, it will be appreciated that during mutually opposite reciprocal displacements of the piston rods 58 and 108 all bands 130, 132 and 146, 148 of the first and second power transmission means, respectively, are always tightened while the twin engine performs a four-stroke combustion cycle in which the drive shaft 32 receives a continuous torque acting in the clockwise direction as regards FIG. 3.

The exemplified embodiment represented in FIG. displays how a single pair of work pistons and work cylinders arranged mutually opposite along a line substantially at right angle to the axial center line 34 of the drive shaft 32 can be used for obtaining unidirectional continuous driving torque. In the instant case, there is a pair of drive shafts 32a and 32b with corresponding axial center lines 34a and 34b, which carry gears 182 and 184. Not represented work cylinders are arranged mutually opposite along a line 186 equidistant from and substantially at right angle to said axial center lines 340 and 34b. Work pistons 40 and 42 are arranged for reciprocating motion in such work cylinders in the already described manner. An output shaft 188 is arranged equidistant from and parallel to the drive shafts 32a and 32b. This output shaft 188 likewise carries a gear 190 which engages the gears 182 and 184 on the drive shafts 32a and 32b, respectively. Both drive shafts 32a and 32b are connected by the already described first power transmission means of the band type for permitting unidirectional rotation of the output shaft 188 at reciprocating movements of the work piston rod 58. It will be apparent that for this purpose the rectifier means in the first power transmission means have to be arranged in a similar manner with respect to the piston rod 58 since they are arranged on opposite sides thereof.

Thus, in operation, at rightward displacement of work piston rod 58, outer ring 56a of first cam-androller type free-wheel will be rotated in the' clockwise direction while the outer ring 56b of a second cam-androller type free-wheel will rotate in the counterclockwise direction. Consequently, the balls 106a of the first free-wheel will release the drive shaft 32a while the balls 106b of the second free-wheel will lock the outer ring 56b with respect to the drive shaft 32b. Thus, drive shaft 32b will be rotated likewise in the counterclockwise direction as well as the gear 184 which, in turn, rotates the gear 190 in the clockwise direction as indicated by an arrow 192.

Upon reverse displacement of work piston rod 58 it will be the outer ring 56a which is locked with respect to its carrying drive shaft 320 while the previously locked drive shaft 32b is released. Thus, now, drive shaft 32a is rotated in the counter-clockwise direction with its gear 182 whereby the output shaft 190 is again rotated in the clockwise direction 192 by the gear 188.

It will be seen that each stroke of the engine is rendered useful and each thrust of the work pistons 40 and 42 is converted into useful torque of the same rotational direction as regards output shaft 188 which, thereby, receives an uninterruptedly acting unidirectional torque.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplified embodiment showing another mechanical solution of the rectifier means in the first power transmission means between work pistons 40, 42 and the drive shaft 32.. Here, the first power transmission means comprises the already described bands 130 and 132 which are circumjacent a drum 194 with no rectifier means in the form of camand-roller type free-wheel. Instead, the extremities of the bands 130 and 132 are fixed at the lower extremities (as regards the drawing) of a pair of double armed levers 196 and 198, respectively. The points of fixing are referred to by reference characters 200 and202, respectively. Double armed lever 196 is supported by work piston rod 58, the fulcrum of the lever being referred to by reference character 204. The other double armed lever 198 is fulcrumed at a point 206 on a rigid longitudinal bar 208 forming part of the reciprocating system of work pistons 40, 42, and work piston rod 58. Bar 208 rigidly connects work pistons 40 and 42. Moreover, the upper extremity of double armed lever 196 is likewise fixed to it at point 210. The upper extremity at point 212 of double armed lever 198 is connected with fulcrum point 204 of double armed lever 196 by means of a rod 214.

The bands 130 and 132 are fixed to the drum 194 by means of a fixing ring 216 which has the extremities of bands 130 and 132 fixed to it at points referred to by reference characters 218 and 220, respectively. The advantage of employing a fixing ring 216 consists in that the cylindrical surface of drum 194 is relieved from the wearing action of the bands 130 and 132.

In operation, at righthand displacement of the piston rod 58 as regards the drawing, first, the resilient sleeve is compressed due to the inertia of piston rod 92 while the mutual position of work pistons 40 and 42 is maintained by rigid bar 208 so that resilient sleeve 62 is expanded. This means that fulcrum 204 which is fixed to work piston rod 58 is delayed with respect to point 210 which is connected to rigid bar 208 so that double armed lever 196 becomes angularly displaced in the clockwise direction as suggested by an arrow 222.

At the same time, fulcrum 206 arranged on rigid bar 208 leads with respect to point 212 whereby point 202 will be urged in the righthand direction as indicated by arrow 224. Thus, during the rightward displacement of the system of work pistons 40v and 42 indicated by single pointed arrow 226 the points 200 and 202 are mutually set apart whereby the bands 130 and 132 are tightened on the cylindrical surface of fixing ring 216 which means a driving torque acting on drive shaft 32 in the clockwise direction.

On the other hand, when the system of work pistons 40 and 42 is displaced in the reverse direction indicated by double pointed arrow 228, both double armed levers 196 and 198 will be angularly displaced in the opposite directions which are the counter-clockwise direction for double armed lever 196 and clockwise direction for the lever 198 so that both bands 130 and 132 become slackened and, thereby, the drive shaft 32 may continue its rotation in the clockwise direction indicated by arrow 230.

In addition to the advantageous manner of rectifying the exemplified embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is particularly suitable for controlling both the tightness of the bands and the rotational direction of drive shaft 32. Such possibility is rendered possible by rod 214 which connects point 212 with fulcrum 204, if means (not shown) for permitting angular displacements of rod 214 are provided for. Then, upon angularly displacing rod 214 in the clockwise direction, both bands 130 and 132 are slackened so that the driving torque on drive shaft 32 is reduced in proportion to the aforesaid angular displacement.

When the rod 214 occupies a position where it is horizontal as regards the drawing, the bands 130 and 132 will not be tightened in either direction of reciprocal movements of piston rod 58.

If rod 214 occupies a position where its inclination is reversed with respect to the previous one, it will be then leftward rectilinear displacement of work pistons 40 and 42 which will exert a torque on drive shaft 32. Consequently, the rotational direction of the latter will be contrary to the previous one 230 which means that drive shaft 32 will rotate in the counter-clockwise direction.

Thus, the arrangement according to FIG. 6 offers a simple possibility of controlling both the magnitude and the direction of the torque acting on drive shaft 32.

A further advantageous feature consists in the controllability of the compression work necessary for a continuous operation of the engine.

At low speeds where the engine is considerably loaded, the rotation of drive shaft 32 will not be stopped because the mutual displacement of work piston rod 58 and bar 208 would be compensated only at reversal of motion since inertia forces are too weak to relieve the tightness of bands 130, 132 with which they encircle the fixing ring 216. Consequently, the mass forces of the whole engine will contribute to compression work.

On the other hand, in case of high speeds, where mutualdisplacement of work piston rod 58 and bar 208 are relatively small, compression work will be delivered exclusively be the energy of expanding gas and by the mass forces of work pistons 40, 42 and work piston rod 150 reciprocating at high speeds.

The exemplified embodiment shown in FIG. 7 is distinguished over the previous ones by the controllability of the distance of the cylinders of mutually opposite pistons. In the instant case, the engine is of the type illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 where the cylinders 20 and 22 of mutually opposite work pistons 40 and 42, respectively, are associated with a supercharger 76. Controllability of the mean swept volume (piston displacement) is obtained by that the work cylinders 20 and 22 and the charger cylinders 78 and 80 form pairs of systems mutually displaceable on parallel guides 232 and 234, respectively. Such displacements are controlled by mechanical means consisting of a spindle 2336 provided with screw threads of mutually opposite pitches, each thread engaging with a coupling box 238 and 240 forming parts of the mutually diplaceable systems of associated work cylinders and charger cylinders 20, 78 and 22, 80, respectively. Dependent upon the rotational direction of spindle 236 the associated work and charger cylinders will mutually be approached to or removed from one another. Thus, the swept volume of the engine can optionally be controlled even during operation.

Due to the engine being, in the instant case, a twocycle internal combustion engine as has been the case with the exemplified embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a controllability of the length of the discharge pipe ends 114 and 116 has to be provided for. This is obtained by employing discharge pipe conduits 242 and 244 which have the discharge pipe ends 114 and 116, respectively, tightly but displaceably joined to them.

Such embodiment permits an optional or automatic control of the swept volume of the engine. In case of high loads where low speed operation of the engine is desired, small stroke lengths will be employed so that each cycle is associated to one-third to one-fourth revolutions of the drive shaft 32. Such adjustment will be selected in case of vehicle motors when gradients have to be climbed. On the other hand, with small loads where high speed operation of the engine is more suitable, long strokes will be selected in which case one cycle of the engine is associated with l to L5 revolutions of the drive shaft 32. Such will be the case with high speed economic operation.

Such adjustment in conjunction with varying the amount of injected fuel will permit to dispense with speed-change boxes.

Summarily, it will be apparent that the efficiency of the engine according to the invention is a multiple of that of reciprocating engines of the crank shaft type. The net calorific power is increased to a double-fold to threefold value. At the same time, the compression pressure is increased by a factor of 5 to 10. Related to the same specific engine weight, the performance of the engine according to the invention is increased by a factor of 3 to 15 with respect to known reciprocating engines. Due to variations of the compression ratio the limits of economic performance control will considerably be extended. The speed of the engine can be controlled between very broad speed limits by means of controlling the amount of injected fuel and its quality,

respectively, so that in many cases, change-speed gears may be dispensed with. Contrary to planetary piston internal combustion engines the engine according to the invention is distinguished by favourable sealing possibilities which, in turn, increase operational efficiency and futher productability. Obviously, oil lubrication may be independent of fuel supply which is a considerable advantage with respect to two-cycle internal combustion engines of the crank shaft type. Moreover, combustion gases can practically be entirely discharged from the work cylinders. Furthermore since there are no cranks, the work pistons may have stroke lengths which are considerably large with respect to their diameters. Generally, the stroke length will be 2.5 to 3 times the diameter of the work piston. Thereby, the combustion of the fuel will take place on a considerable length of way which, in turn, furthers perfect combustion. Consequently, the amount of uncombusted or imperfectly combusted gases in the exhaust can considerably be decreased. It has been found that running properties of the engine according to the invention are more even than in case of reciprocating engines of the known types. Also, it will be apparent that strains of the component parts, particularly in dead center positions of the swinging masses, will be considerably less than in case of known machines of similar type.

Hereinbefore, reciprocating engines have been described with which the work cylinders have been arranged along straight lines or lines parallel to one an other. Obviously, other arrangements such as radial type motors are possible as well. Moreover, though the invention requires at least one pair of co-operating work pistons and work cylinders, combinations of such pairs permits the construction of multi-cylinder reciprocating engines with which the work cylinders may be associated with the charger cylinders of corresponding superchargers. Moreover, the reciprocating engine according to the invention may be operated by any kind of pressure medium such as steam, vapour or air. Such motors will not require auxiliary starting equipments. Starting will preferably be carried out by means of supinto swinging motion. Any suitable means known per se may be employed.

What I claim is: l. A reciprocating engine comprising in combination a rigid structure, a drive shaft with an axial center line,

means supporting said drive shaft in said rigid structure for rotation about said axial center line, two pairs of work cylinders arranged in said rigid structure pairwise along two substantially parallel lines equidistant from and substantially at right angles to said axial center line. the cylinders of each pair being coaxial and opposed to each other, work pistons arranged for reciprocating motion in each said work cylinders and defining work chambers therewith, a piston rod extending between the pistons of each said pair of cylinders, means yieldably interconnecting the pistons of each said pair of cylinders to opposite ends of the associated said piston rod, means for alternately admitting and withdrawing a work medium into and from said work chambers dependent on the mutual positions of associated work pistons and cylinders, power transmission means between said work pistons and said drive shaft for ensuring opposite reciprocating movements of said piston rods and for rotating said drive shaft in response to said reciprocating movements, said power transmission means including one-way motion transmission means for effecting unidirectional rotation of said drive shaft upon reciprocating movement of said work pistons, said oneway motion transmission means comprising a cam and roller free wheel mechanism, fuel injection means on each work cylinder, and control means for operating said fuel injection means, said control means comprising cam means on said piston rods and actuating linkages with rollers arranged for engaging said cam means, said power transmission means comprising flexible bands secured at their opposite ends adjacent opposite ends of said piston rods and drivingly surrounding said drive shaft. 

1. A reciprocating engine comprising in combination a rigid structure, a drive shaft with an axial center line, means supporting said drive shaft in said rigid structure for rotation about said axial center line, two pairs of work cylinders arranged in said rigid structure pairwise along two substantially parallel lines equidistant from and substantially at right angles to said axial center line, the cylinders of each pair being coaxial and opposed to each other, work pistons arranged for reciprocating motion in each said work cylinders and defining work chambers therewith, a piston rod extending between the pistons of each said pair of cylinders, means yieldably interconnecting the pistons of each said pair of cylinders to opposite ends of the associated said piston rod, means for alternately admitting and withdrawing a work medium into and from said work chambers dependent on the mutual positions of associated work pistons and cylinders, power transmission means between said work pistons and said drive shaft for ensuring opposite reciprocating movements of said piston rods and for rotating said drive shaft in response to said reciprocating movements, said power transmission means including one-way motion transmission means for effecting unidirectional rotation of said drive shaft upon reciprocating movement of said work pistons, said one-way motion transmission means comprising a cam and roller free wheel mechanism, fuel injection means on each work cylinder, and control means for operating said fuel injEction means, said control means comprising cam means on said piston rods and actuating linkages with rollers arranged for engaging said cam means, said power transmission means comprising flexible bands secured at their opposite ends adjacent opposite ends of said piston rods and drivingly surrounding said drive shaft. 